Indicating device



Nov. '20, 1928. I 1,692,012

E. C. WELLS .INDICATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 20, 1924 HQT Fatented Nov.2t), 1928.

' EDWARD c. WELLS. or DAYTON, Orin AS IGNQQE T LAT-fl! inoiv, wonK-s,INCOR- rormrnn, or D'AYTON, 01110, A coRronAT on on NEW roan.

mnrcariive nnyron.

Application f led December 20, 1924, Serial No. 757,194. I

I The present invention relates to a temperature indicating-device, andparticularly to devices for indicating abnormal condi tions' in theoperation of engines, machincry. and the like. i

vention is to provide 'a de vice adapted to be mounted in a suitableplace for indicating abnormaltemperatures, as for example, abnormaltemperatures arising during operation of Other objects of the inventionwill be ap-- parent from the following description when drawingsinwhich:

Fig. 1 represents an elevation of the present invention applied to thespout of a radiator i r Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on the line2-2 of Fig. 1;

3 is an elevational view, partly in vertical section, of a modified formof the invention;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section of a sinipliiied form oftheinvention;

Fi 5 is a plan view of a somewhat modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the invention as applied to abearing. e

As showing a preferred embodiment of the invention it is hereinillustrated and described as applied to the well known watei cooledengine of conventional design.

It is'generally understood that 'n such internal combustion enginesdesigned for use in connection. with automobiles and the like, whereinthe engine cylinders are cooled by a liquid such as water delivered toit-from a radiator or the like, the temperature of the cooling water inthe radiator is normally somewhat below the boiling point of the wa ter,and so long as the engine operates nor really the temperatureof thewaterremains normal. However, upon abnormal operation One of the main objectsof the present in-' taken in connection with the accompanying orcondition of the engine such asabroken fan belt, an insufiicientsupplyof water in the radiator, etc, the temperature of the water in theradiator rises abnormally to subv stantially the boiling point, so that,in gen-- eral, the rise in temperature of the water in the radiator toits boiling point may be'taken as a Warning of such an abnormaloperation orcondition of the engine.

, The presentinvention takes advantage of this rise in temperatureto'applyto, the eX-.

terior of tlie'razdiator a temperature indicating material which changescolor-when the temperature Wit-hi1} the radiator rises substantially tothe boiling point to thereby give a warning of abnormal engineconditions or operation. V

' Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 20 indicates generallythe filler opening or spout of a radiator the opening of which may be'closed'by nieans of a cap 21'. As here in shown thespout consists of alower spout tube'22 secured to the upper or tank portion oft-he radator- 23, and anupper spout portionor tube 24 inextension of the lowerspout portion or'tube' and having screw threadedor other engagement withthe inner surface of the latter; :The upper end of the upper tube. isflanged outwardly or enlarged to receive the radiator cap 21 itbeing'provided" with suitable screw threads or. other fastening devicefor that purpose.

Surroundingthe exposed portion of the 7 upper tube, and preferablymounted directly upon the tubeas by painting thereon, is a-ring 25 oftemperature indicating material, this material being of the .typcwhichis normally of one color but which cliange'sits color'whenit is heatedto a predeterminedor critical temperature. One material which 'has been,found satisfactory for the present purpose is the iodomercurate ofcopper the color of which isnormally bright'scarlet, but which becomesblack when heated to its critical temperature which is about 150 F. Oncooling below the temperaturementioned this material regainsits'original bright scarlet color. This temperature indicatingmaterial'may be applied totheouter'surface ofthe spout by iodomercurateof copper, and this is followed ill) color-changing temperatures eitherabove or below that statedherein. It should also be understood that themethod of applying the iodomercurate of copper and the materialsemployed, is susceptible of wide variation, including for example, theuse of a relatively chemically inert varnish or other suitable materialas a carrier for the iodomercurate of copper instead of the gum arabic,or the omission of part of the process described depending largely uponthe particular materials emaloyed.

Surrounding the temperature indicating material 25 and supported betweenthe shoulder 26 formed by the upper end of the lower tube 22 and theshoulder 27 formed by the enlargement of the upper tube, is aninclosiiig structure for providing a dead air space about that portionof the spout carrying the temperature indicating material 25.

rounding the tube 24 and indicating material 25 and spaced therefrom,the glass tube being held in position by means of supporting rings 29which with the tube 2a form grooves to receive the glass tube 28. a Thedead air space is sealed against the passage of air by means of rubberor other suitable packing rings 30 betweenthe glass tube'28 andthesupporting rings 29. i

, From the foregoing it will be seen that the temperature indicatingmaterial is in heat conducting connection through the parts 24,.

22 and 23 ofthe radiator with thecooling water 31, and as a result thetemperature of the indicating material 25 will rise or fall with a riseor fall in thetemperature of the water. But since the criticaltemperature of the indicating'material is about 150 F.

whereas it is not desired to receive a temperature change indicationuntil the water in the radiator reaches substantially its boilingteniperature, it is of the essence of the invention that the indicatingmaterial 25 be of such thermal remoteness from the cooling water 31 thatit will not reach itsfcriti'cal temperature, and hence give atemperature change indicatiomjuntil the water reaches SLlbStfi-l'l.tially its boiling temperature. This is accomplished in the presentinvention by securing the band ofindicating material 25 to the radiatorspout which spout is so exposed that the I This inclosing structureconsists of a glass tube 28 sur heat radiation losses therefrom resultin such a temperature difference between the indicating material andthe. water that the indicating material reaches its critical orcolorchanging-temperature at substantially the same time as the waterreaches its boiling point. perature diiferential between the boilingwater and the indicating material may be varied widely to meet the.varying requirements of various temperature indicatin materials,radiators andthe like, by suitable changes in the size,proportion orlocation of the various parts, or the provision of heat insulation aboutcertain of the parts, so .as to establish a proper relation between thetain conditions, and assists in controlling the ill It will beunderstood that the temamount of heat radiation from the spout. It 1 isapparentalso, in this connection, that the inclosing structure may be ofsimpler construction than herein illustrated cases may be omittedentirely. 7 Since there is generally more or lesswater vapo in theradiator and since this vapor may e in the spout to heat 'theindicatingmaterial and give a premature temperature indication, it may bedesirable, in some instances, to provide a deflector or wall 32" which,as shown in Fig. 2, may consist of an imperforate cylindrical tubespaced from the upper spout tube24- and secured thereto by means of theoutturned ilanges33.

The present invention is iireferahly pre .vided withindicating symbolstunindieia :34;

such for example as theletters H O T, which and in some ins symbolsconsist of material of fixed. color.

indicatin' material, the

iso

symbols are in the form of letters which spell a word such as Hot, thenthe indicator actu}. ally states in plain language the condition of theengine and cosnng water so that' may be readily understood by one whomay not, be familiar with the sig i ticance the change in colo of theindicating material itself.

Referring now to Fig. 3, which shows a lower modified form ofv theinventiomthe radiator spout consists of a lower tube 122 and an uppertube 1% which has screw thread d or other en; 'cincnt with the externalsurface of the tube 122. The upper tube is screw threaded to receive theradiator cap 121. In this form of the invention, like that shown in Fig.2, the temperature indicating material pplied to the outer portion ortube 124: spout, and'the indicating material'is urrounded by aninclosing structure for proi (ring a dead air space aroundthe'indieating ial The inclosing structure similar in construction tothat abovedescribed and consists of a glass tube .28, supporting rings29 and gaskets 30, the supporting rings being secured directly to thecylindri al wall of the tube 12%. The upper ends 10 tu )85 122 and 124are provided with inor turned flanges l85and 136 which constitutespacing andsupporting means for the cylindrical vapor deflector orprotecting wall 132, having an outturned flange 137 for engagement withthe flange 136. This form of the apparatus may also, if desired, beprovided with indicating symbols of the type herein described. r a

In the preferred form of the invention the temperature indicatingmaterial is preferably securcdto the spout of the radiator where it maybe readily seen from the drivers seat, but it should be understood thatthe indicating material may be applied to any other suitable orconvenient part of the engine or motor vehicle which changes itstemperature in accordance with the temperature of the water in thecooling system. The apparatus may, in some cases, be sim plilied by theomission of the enclosure for providing a dead air space about thetemperature indicating material. Such a simplified construction is illu?rated in Fig. din which 20 des Q nates the filler opening or spoutand21. the cap, both ofwhich may be ofusualaml well known construction.Upon the exterior surface ofthe spout is painted or otherwise applied aband 25 of temperature indicating ma- I tc al, which maybe of the triplelayer compoi il ion, abovedescribed,-or simply a layer oftlie'temperature indicatmg'materlal secured to the spout in any suitablemanner. The band or temp rature indicating materialmaybe V protected byapplying over the surface ofthe spent and the band coating of varnishother transpzuent protective material 35. in Fig. 5 is shown stillanother slightly modified form of construction. In this form ofconstruction the indicating material 25 is applied to a clamping ring150, of conventional mechanical construction, which may be clamped aboutthe radiator spout, thus providing an indicating device of the characterdescribedabove; The thickness of the clamping ring may be controlled asdesired to give the desired temperature drop between the indicatingmaterial, which as stated above,

will normally changecolor at approximately 150 R, andthe material Whosetemperature is to be indicated, in the i, ,rticular embodimentillustrated that material being the water within the radiator. In such aconstruction, it may be necessary to provide'heat insulating material151 in addition to the thickness of the clamping member in order tointerpose sufii cientresistance to the transfer of heatto thatindicating material,that is, to provide the necessary ten'iperaturedropbetween the in whose ten'iperature is being indicated and'thetenrperature indicating material It is not essential that this be doneby means varying the character of the material of which i the clamp, oranalogous part, is constituted; some metal such as copper for examplebeing betterconductors of heat than other metals, so that by properlycontrolling the nature of the material upon whichthe indicating means ismounted the proper temperature controls may be secured.

In Fig. 6 is shown still'another slightly modified form ofconstructionin which the indicating device is attached to abearing for 7 an engineto indicate abnormal temperature conditions at such bearing, Asillustrated this is done by applying the indicating material 25 to theface of a disk or plate 160, which is in turn bolted or otherwisesuitably secured to the bearing 161. Here again the necessaryheattransferring resistance should bemcorporated, and this may be doneby varying the thickness of th /plate 180, vary-.

ing the material of which it is composed, in terposing suitable heatinsulating material, or in any othersimilar way.

Of course indicating characters may be used if desired in the clampingring form of Fig. 5, or the plate form of Fig. 6.

To facilitate application ofthe temperature indicating material thelatter "may be prepared as a transfer by mounting it on a paper or othersuitable backing from which it may betransferred to the object thetemperature of whichis to be indicated, in the manner of a decalcomaniatransfer; Onemethod of preparing such a transfer is to coat one face ofthe paper with a water soluble compound,

apply thereon a coating of insoluble material such as collod1on,then alayer of the lodomercurate of copper or othermdicat-mg material intheshape of the indicating symbol desired,

temperature indicating material is thus enface to the object and thenpeeling off the backing, thus leaving the collodion-covered indicatingmaterial adhering to the object. While one method of preparing thetransfer has been described it should be understood that this merelyillustrative and that any other suitable method may be employed, in thepresent instance the indicating symbol is in the form of a band orribbon, but it will be obvious thatit may take any desired form. Whilethe indicating material is herein described as forming a complete'ringabout the spout, it should be understood that in either form of thedevice, the indicating material may be omitted from certain partsandretained only on that surface which is visible from the drivers seat.

W Vhilethe forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferredembodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes maybe made in either Without departingfrom the scope of the invention whichis defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for indicating abnormal temperature? of the coolingliquid of an internal combustion engine, the combination with a radiatorfor the cooling liquid, said radiator having a filling spout thereon, ofa hand of temperature indicating material about said spout, and meansfor substantially enclosing said band, comprising a band of transparentmaterial surrounding said spout and supporting rings carried by saidspout and embracing the edges of said band of transparent material tosupport said band in position, said rings being constructed to permitexposure of said band of transparent material about the circumferencethereof.

2. A temperature indicating device, com prising a tubular member, alayer of tempera ture indicating material about the exterior of saidmember, a tubular transparent cover ing over saidindicatinp; material,and means secured to said tubular member for support ing saidtransparent covering in position, said means comprising spaced-apartrings engaging respectively the ends. of said tubular covering.

3. A device of the character" described, comprising a detachable andreplaceable integral tubular member having interior 7 threads at one endand exterior threads at the other end and constructed to have one endthereof po sitioned upon a usual automobile radiator spout and the otherend receive the usual radiator cap, and a layer of indicating materialon the exterior of said tubular member intermediate the ends thereof,said indicating ma terial being adapted to change color when heated to apredetermined temperature.

t. In a device of the character described" and in combination With thespout ofan automobile radiator, a layer of indicating material on theexterior of said spout normally of one color but adapted to change colorwhen heatedto a predetermined temperature, and means on the interior ofsaid spout to prevent direct thermal contact of Water vapor with theWall of said spout opposite the layer of.

securing y ing spout thereon, of a band of temperature indicatingmaterial about said'spout, means surrounding said band comprising'astrip of material through which said band is visible, supporting ringscarried by said spout for holding the edges of said strip, and means ,On

the interior of said spout to prevent-direct thermal contact of thermalWater vapor with the Wall of said spout opposite a layer of indicatingmaterial. 7

In testimony WhereofI'hereto afiix my sip} nature.

, EDWARD o. WELLs,

